Golfer{40 s stance guage

ABSTRACT

A golfer&#39;&#39;s stance aid for locating the feet of the golfer properly with respect to a golf ball. The device comprises a linear member adapted to rest on the ground, having foot pads adjustable angularly as well as lengthwise of the linear member. Spikes anchor the foot pads in the ground. An extensible member extends laterally outwardly from the linear member to the golf ball. The extensible member has an arm pivoted at its inner end to the midpoint of the linear member, and also has an elongated bar formed by a single strand or wire having coextensive elements shaped to provide a series of openings along its length. These openings are adapted to receive a fastener in the outer end of the arm so that the strand or wire may be connected to the arm through any one of the openings and thereby vary the length of the extensible member. The strand or wire terminates at its outer end in a loop for receiving a golf tee and a pointer.

' United States Patent Kimble 51 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] GOLFER'S STANCE GUAGE [72] inventor: Quinton Kimble, 18970 Littlefield Ave.,

Detroit, Mich. 48235 {22] Filed: Oct. 7, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 78,648

521 Us. Cl. ..27s/1s7 R Primary Examiner-George .l. Marlo Attorney-Whittemore, l-lulbert & Belknap [5 7] ABSTRACT A golfers stance aid for locating the feet of the golfer properly with respect to a golf ball. The device comprises a linear member adapted to rest on the ground, having foot pads adjustable angularly as well as lengthwise of the linear member. Spikes anchor the foot pads in the ground. An extensible member extends laterally outwardly from the linear member to the golf ball. The extensible member has an arm pivoted at its inner end to the midpoint of the linear member, and also has an elongated bar formed by a single strand or wire having coextensive elements shaped to provide a series of openings along its length. These openings are adapted to receive a fastener in the outer end of the arm so that the strand or wire may be connected to the arm through any one of the openings and thereby vary the length of the extensible member. The strand or wire terminates at its outer end in a loop for receiving a golf tee and a pointer.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATEHTED APR 2 5 m2 R x N @w m/ m M Q F'IG.3

A ATTORNEYS GOLFER'S STANCE GUAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The following patents represent the closest prior art known to me:

1,208,995 Lyon Dec. l9, 1916 2,025,5l9 Lingg Dec. 24, I935 2,l50,580 Crowley Mar. 14, I939 2,180,170 Richards Nov. l4, I939 2,886,326 Olds May l2, i959 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of this invention to provide a golfers stance aid which may be used both by experienced and inexperienced golfers for locating the feet of the golfer properly with respect to the ball in a position which is natural and comfortable and which will enable him to hit the ball time after time in the direction intended.

Another object is to provide a golfers stance aid which comprises a linear member adapted to rest on the ground, having foot pads adjustable angularly as well as lengthwise of the linear member.

Another object is to provide a second member extending laterally outwardly from the linear member to the ball and secured to the linear member in adjusted position.

Another object is to provide means for securing the second member to the linear member is selected positions of both longitudinal and angular adjustment.

Another object is to provide a golfers stance aid in which the longitudinally and angularly adjustable member comprises a wire doubled over on itself to provide extensive elements which are bent to provide confronting arcuate formations defining individual openings adapted to receive a fastener for securing the member in longitudinally adjusted position.

Another object is to provide an integral formation at the outer end of the wire defining a loop for receiving the tee and terminating in an arrow pointing in the direction the ball is to be hit.

Another object is to provide the linear member and the wire member each with a scale of linear indicia and the linear member with a scale of angular indicia.

Another object is to provide means by which the foot pads may be both angularly and longitudinally adjusted.

Another object is to provide a golfers stance aid which will help the golfer to assume the same natural, comfortable stance time after time in such relationship to the ball as to consistently hit it in the intended direction.

in adjusting the stance aid, the golfer will point the arrow in the direction he wishes to hit the ball, and will place his feet in a comfortable and natural position on the pads. If the ball goes off to the left or right, he will make a suitable angular adjustment so that his feet are turned an amount estimated to compensate for the error. He may have to make several adjustments before he is able to hit the ball straight to the target. Then he tightens the adjusting nuts to secure the parts in properly adjusted position. Thereafter by merely pointing the arrow at the target and placing his feet on the pads he will be able to duplicate the stance time after time which he found right for him.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device shown being used by a golfer.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the device shown from a different angle.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the parts of the device separated from one another.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the golfers stance aid is generally designated and comprises an elongated straight linear member 12, an extensible member comprising a pivoted arm 14 and an elongated bar in the form of a wire member 16, and foot pads 18.

The linear member 12 is similar to an ordinary yardstick in general form and preferably is graduated in inches for convenience with suitable indicia 13 including numbers and graduations defining the scale along the length of the member as clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The member 12 has the two slots 20 extending toward the ends from points near the middle. It also has the integral arcuate formation 22 which provides a protractor for measuring angles and which is located approximately at the midpoint in the length of the member. A suitable scale consisting of graduations and degrees of angle are marked off by indicia indicated at 24 throughout the arcuate extent of the protractor 22. The member 12 may be formed of wood or metal or plastic, or any suitable relatively stiff material and is adapted to lay flat upon the ground usually in a horizontal position but always following the general terrain.

The foot pads .18 are in the present instance made of wire bent in the general form shown and having the ends of each wire terminating in a loop 26. One of the pads 18 in FIG. 3 is shown with the looped ends overlapped and aligned to receive a fastener for securing it to the linear member 12. A fastener 28 consisting of a headed bolt 30 and wing nut 32 secures each pad to the linear member, the threaded shank of the bolt extending up through a slot 20 and through the aligned holes 26 in the pad and the wing nut being threaded on the upper end of the bolt. The shank of the bolt 30 will slide freely in the slot 20 for lengthwise adjustment of the foot pad, and the pads themselves obviously may be adjusted as to angle on the bolt before the wing nut is tightened. Each pad has spikes 34 extending downwardly which serve as cleats to anchor the pad in the ground when in use.

The arm 14 is pivoted at one end to the linear member 12 at the midpoint in the length of the linear member by a fastener 28 consisting of the bolt 30 and wing nut 32 the same as used to secure the foot pads. The fastener extends through the hole 36 in the linear member 12 which is located at the center of the arc of protractor 22. The arm is free to turn angularly with respect to the linear member until the wing nut of fastener 28 is tightened. The arm 14 is in the form of a flat plate extending laterally outward over the protractor 22 and having a terminal portion 38 beyond the protractor which is offset downwardly along the curved bend line 40 so as to lie substantially in the plane of the linear member 12.

The wire member 16 may be formed of wire stock similar to that used in coat hangers, although preferably of a slightly heavier gauge. The wire member is formed in one piece and is doubled over on itself to provide the coextensive elements 42. Each element 42 has arcuate formations 44 arranged in a series along its length, the arcuate formations of one element 42 being in confronting relation with those of the other element to form a plurality of openings 46 along the length of the member 16. These openings may be identified as indicated, for example by letters a, b, c, etc., and are adapted to receive a fastener 28 similar to the fasteners used to secure the foot pads and to pivot the arm 14. The shank of the bolt of the fastener 28 extends through a hole 50 in the portion 38 of arm 14 and through a selected opening 46 in the member 16 so that the member is secured to the arm 14 in longitudinally adjusted position when the wing nut is tightened.

One end of the wire 16 is formed in a loop 52 terminating in an arrow and head configuration 54 disposed at right angles to the wire member 16. The other end of the wire member 16 terminates in an integral shaft 56 which is aligned with the shaft of the arrow formation 54 to complete the arrow. The loop 52 is shaped and sized to receive a tee stuck in the ground for supporting the ball in position to be hit.

In use, the golfer will set the stance aid 10 substantially in the position shown in FIG. 1 so that the arrow 56 points in the direction the ball is to be hit, the target in this instance being represented by the pin 60. Then arranging the foot pads 18 so that he may place his feet on them in a natural and comfortable position, the golfer will proceed to address and hit the ball. During this time, the various wing nuts will be loosened so that the parts can be readily adjusted.

In the event that the flight of the ball is off to the right as indicated in FIG. 1 at 62, the golfer will next adjust the linear member 12 and the foot pads around to the left to compensate for the error. He may lengthen or shorten the wire member 16 by moving fastener 28 to another opening 46. However, he will not change the angular position of the member 16 but will leave it so that the arrow 56 always points at the target. The golfer will continue to hit balls and make adjustments when necessary until the flight of the ball is straight on the target as indicated at 64. He will then tighten all of the wing nuts to lock the pads 18 in both longitudinally and angularly adjusted position, the arm 14 in angularly adjusted position with respect to the linear member and the wire member 16 in longitudinally adjusted position. The golfer may thereafter assume this same natural and comfortable position when addressing the ball but with his feet oriented and positioned with respect to the ball as governed by the adjustment of the device, thereby duplicating the stance that he found through practice to be right for him.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A golfers stance aid for locating the feet of the golfer properly with respect to a golf ball, comprising a linear member adapted to rest upon the ground, foot pads, means for securing said foot pads to said linear member in angularly adjusted positions at selected points along the length of said linear member, an extensible member extending laterally outwardly from said linear member, said extensible member including an arm, means pivotally connecting the inner end of said arm to said linear member at the midpoint in the length of the latter, said extensible member also including an elongated bar, means for connecting said elongated bar at selected points in its length to the outer end of said arm to vary the length of said extensible member, a pointer on the outer end of said elongated bar extending at right angles to the latter, and a tee locator on the outer end of said bar.

2. The golfers stance aid defined in claim 1, wherein said elongated bar comprises coextensive elements each shaped to provide a series of generally arcuate formations along the length thereof respectively confronting those of the other element, said confronting arcuate formations defining individual fastener-receiving openings, and said means for connecting said bar to said arm comprising a fastener adapted to enter any selected opening.

3. The golfers stance aid defined in claim 2, wherein said coextensive elements are portions of a single strand having at the outer end of said bar a loop defining said tee locator for receiving a tee and terminating in said pointer.

k i l t 

1. A golfer''s stance aid for locating the feet of the golfer properly with respect to a golf ball, comprising a linear member adapted to rest upon the ground, foot pads, means for securing said foot pads to said linear member in angularly adjusted positions at selected points along the length of said linear member, an extensible member extending laterally outwardly from said linear member, said extensible member including an arm, means pivotally connecting the inner end of said arm to said linear member at the midpoint in the length of the latter, said extensible member also including an elongated bar, means for connecting said elongated bar at selected points in its length to the outer end of said arm to vary the length of said extensible member, a pointer on the outer end of said elongated bar extending at right angles to the latter, and a tee locator on the outer end of said bar.
 2. The golfer''s stance aid defined in claim 1, wherein said elongated bar comprises coextensive elements each shaped to provide a series of generally arcuate formations along the length thereof respectively confronting those of the other element, said confrOnting arcuate formations defining individual fastener-receiving openings, and said means for connecting said bar to said arm comprising a fastener adapted to enter any selected opening.
 3. The golfer''s stance aid defined in claim 2, wherein said coextensive elements are portions of a single strand having at the outer end of said bar a loop defining said tee locator for receiving a tee and terminating in said pointer. 